Markleyville

She's One!

2010-02-28T19:33:00.000-08:00

Merry (Belated) Christmas!

2010-01-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

(Artsy little Bennett took this)!

This year we spent our holiday in the Bay. It was the first time Rob and I have had a holiday at our house (in 6 years!), and though we missed being in SLO-the Markley seniors host a fabbo Christmas-it was really nice to be home and to not have to travel. Christmas eve dinner was at our house, and Christmas day/dinner was spent at The Doyles, a.k.a. Auntie Kate and Uncle Tom's. I did a slide show, but here are some of my favorite December pics.:

Here we are having dinner in our living room, because it is the only
place that the big table fit.

Christmas Wonder

Elladeer

"Bumpa is tickley!"

Quality time with my Auntie

Um...want one?

Little Angel

At the Oakland Zoo w/Grandpa and Noni

Family shot. Can you tell how tired Elle is :)?

Happy New Year, everybody!

Little Rockers

2009-12-16T20:46:00.000-08:00

First off, this is Elodie's new dance move. When she hears music, she gets on all fours and rocks.

Next is Bennett's version of Frosty the Snowman. I think in this video he seems a bit stoned; it's a combination of a cold and his attempt at being cool!

deja vu

2009-12-05T21:29:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving we were out on the meadow at my parent's house, Rob was holding Elodie on his shoulders, and as I looked at them my mind flashed back in time. I took some pictures, and I have to share what I discovered. It is kind of redundant, it seems all I do on this blog lately is share comparison pictures. I can't help myself, though, when I look at Elodie and am so often reminded of moments when Bennett was tiny. It all just whirls by, so part of me just wants to dwell on pictures and memories as much as I possibly can. I want our babies to grow up because I am excited to see who they will be and what they will accomplish, but does it need to go so quickly?

Elodie in November 2009:
(she's 9 months)

Bennett in November 2007:
(He is 12 months)

'09:

'07:

'09:

'07:

'09:

It Worked!

2009-12-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

Oh my, two posts in one evening!

I have tried unsuccessfully over the past month to post a few different videos...for some reason this one worked-the blog liked it, I guess. This is Elodie swinging at the Brennan's house the other day. She is cracking up like she always does when she swings. Usually, she laughs from the moment you put her in till the moment you take her out-cute, cute! Also, take note of her signature growl :).

Sweet Siblings

2009-11-09T21:02:00.000-08:00

I should have added these photos along with my last post-they were taken on the same day. I can't believe the friendship that is forming between these two. No one makes Elodie laugh like Bennett does.

Photo Shoot

2009-10-21T13:18:00.001-07:00

O.k, I am about to post soooo many pictures of Elodie. I can't help myself! I thought she looked adorable the other day in her girly outfit, and when I started taking pictures, they were capturing her personality so well, and I just couldn't stop. And then I couldn't choose. I keep thinking, "imagine if I was a real photographer with a crazy -great camera!" So, here are a bazillion photos of our sweet, smiley, squirmy, spunky little love bug. It is a glimpse at why we are so completely taken by her!

"Did you see my pig?"

"I LOVE MY PIG!!!"

"Remember my pig?"

"I still love my pig!!!"

"My pig is yummy, and he makes me drool."

"What was that?"

"You crack me up!"

"Ahhhh, Pig."

"See my teeth?"

"I have two of them!"

"Hmm?"

Getting tired of this hat...

"Got it!!"

"...pretty tired out from the photo shoot, think I'll just
relax with one of Mom's magazines..."

"Hey, get your own!"

The end.

This Time Last Year...

2009-10-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

Lately I find myself amazed at how much our life has changed this past year. I keep thinking, "I can't believe that was only a year ago." One year ago, we lived in Long Beach, in Southern California-SO different than where we are now. One year ago, my belly was rounding with our "Baby Unkown," I don't think the pregnancy had even sunk in for us yet! One year ago, we were a family of three, Bennett was our tiny toddler, filling our lives up so much we could hardly picture space for anyone else. One year ago, Rob worked for PSAV, step two of three on his career path. Only one year ago!

Little Bennett at the pumpkin patch last year:

(Big) Bennett this year:

With Mommy and the goats in Long Beach last year:

With Daddy and the sheep in Livermore this year:

Baby in my belly last year:

Baby on my belly this year:

Disneyland last year:

Disneyland this year:

(this is a terrible picture, but it's the only one we
took of the whole family)

Elodie this year:

I know I mentioned not being sure how our Elodie would fit into this family. I can say those honest words without feeling bad or guilty, because now-one year later-we cannot imagine our lives without her! She is our little joy. I read somewhere recently that your first baby is your pride, and your second is your joy. So true. I was telling Bennett tonight that he blesses Rob and me. He said, "Oh, I bless you?" "Yes," I said, "very much." "Oh." He responded. "What is bless you?" And I just thought about how I want to try, every day to find ways to tell and show both he and Elodie what blessings they are to us. I am going to have to show them, because it is impossible to put it into words!

Already the best of friends!

Same Sweet Old Bennett

2009-10-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

Bennett, 16 months

Bennett, today.

Sweet Visit

2009-09-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

JDog (Jenny) and her adorable girls came for a visit last week. They live up in Grant's Pass, OR, and, lucky for us, Jenny's mom is here in the bay area. It was so much fun to catch up, and for our kiddos to play. Here are some photos:

Jenny and Chloe (16 months)

Karrah (3 yrs.) and Elodie

Fake smile, but it's me and my girl :)

Sweet Karrah

Cutie Chloe

Happy little lady

Wearing a fire truck hat, singing a fire truck song,
on his fire truck...life couldn't be better!

Group shots (pay attention to Elle in this sequence)

My favorite pic. of them to date

Thanks for the visit, Borchard ladies! Oh, how we miss you.

This ones for us...

2009-09-02T21:16:00.001-07:00

So we won't forget… how he makes us smile, laugh, and melt. A list of quotes from the little man. Many of them are stories we have told, sorry for any repeats. Here goes:

Bennett: Look Daddy, I have an Earwack! (said while holding up a finger covered in earwax).

Sunday School Teacher: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Bennet: Yeah...I have some.

Bennett: Daddy, can we get a Panda?
Rob: Well Bennett, they’re pretty big. Where would we put a Panda?
Bennett: In a tree!"

"Wow, Mommy, you look pretty!" or, "I like your hair." or, "Mommy, you’re the best!"

Waving to the fire truck passing by..."Bye firefighters, be brave!!"

"My Grandpa lives far away. So does my Bumpa. And my Uncle Kevin. All my people’s live far away. (perks up…) Auntie CoCo is gonna be close, though!!"

This is a common one: "I wanna be naked for a bit."

(When Rob works tons) “Can my daddy come to my house?”

We all need our privacy. Grammy, Heather (starts saying names that I had no idea he knew…). Yes, we all do…in fact.

Before he falls asleep, Bennett often suggests we recap the days events by saying: "Should we talk to our day?"

"Barrack OBAMA!!!" (when we see him on the news or on a bumper sticker)

He has always loved looking at books, but lately he looks at the pages and says: "I can’t read the words!” Today he said: “I look at the book, and I see the letters, but I can’t read the words!" And when he is “reading” to himself, he begins by saying the title and author like so: "The Hungry Caterpillar (for example). By San Francisco." Every book.

During nap time, I overheard Bennett singing his version of Amazing Grace from his bed: "I ooonce was lost, but nooow I’m found. Was deeead, but now I see.”

He walks into the kitchen, no pants on, holding Squirts (his stuffed elephant) & a cup of milk, and says, “Have it going?” He meant "how's."

Bennett: I’m gonna be a man. When I grow up. I’m gonna be a man.
Rob: Yes, Bennett, you’ll be a great man. But don’t be a man too soon, there’s lots of fun boy stuff left to do.
Bennett: Yeah, okay.

"Elodie, don't touch my bobbin!!!" He means bottom. "She touched my bobbin!!!" One time Elodie reached over, and, very swiftly, yanked Bennett's pants down. He was very mad. Hilarious.

And lastly:

Rob and I (independent of one another) both saw pooping as an opportunity to teach B. a lesson about lying/telling the truth. We explained to him that if he does a number 2, and we ask him if he has gone, the honest answer is yes (the dishonest answer is no, you get the idea...). So now, we always find out that he has made a poop when he announces, "I tell the truth!!"

Kiss

2009-08-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

Wondering?

2009-08-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

What Elodie was doing while we played with trains?

playing along, of course!

I need to mention that she now waves and gives kisses. If you flap your arm at her energetically, she eventually gets excited and flaps back. So cute! But my favorite is the kiss...we lean in with puckered lips, and wait, and she leans in slowly but intentionally, and puts her lips on ours. Sweet, sweet girl.

When Daddy's Away...

2009-08-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

Mom builds awesome trains.

We have really been missing Rob lately. I have no idea how many hours he has worked over the past couple of weeks...a lot, a lot, a lot. He got the weekend off for Kate's wedding, and it was a wonderful couple of days (lots more on that later). In the mean time, we are doing our best with out him. Our home is definitely not the same when he doesn't spend much time here, that's for sure.

One positive thing that rose from the ridiculous workload/hours:

trains!

I used to build sucky trains. Bennett loves to play trains, and it is normally kind of a Daddy and Bennett activity. But last week, I was up for the challenge (no way could I let my little man down). I was so proud of my new skills that I took pictures, as you can see. I thought the first good one was a fluke, but when the second one turned out even better, I was outrageously impressed with myself. We had fun playing, and that is what really matters (and the fact that we had fun because I can now build awesome trains). Ha ha.

Showered

2009-08-09T12:46:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago, I had the honor of hosting Kate's bridal shower. It was a beautiful day! The weather the perfect: bright and sunny, but not hot. It was all about wedding, flowers, ladies, gifts, and (most importantly) showering Kate. The wedding is next Saturday the 15th; it snuck up on us so quickly! It feels like five minutes ago that we were sitting in the Markley's living room, getting ready to drive up and surprise Kate at the engagement party. We just love Kate and Tom, and we can't wait for their big day!!

Enjoy the rest of the shower photos here on fickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellymarkley/sets/72157621985333362/

Some wedding pictures are soon to follow!!

New Skills

2009-08-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

It was hard for me to choose videos, because Elodie is doing so many new things right now. I keep grabbing the camera and making movie after movie. Most of them are kind of lame, and way too long-this drives Rob (the A.V. guy) crazy :). I tried to pick a couple of shorties.

Elodie sits up on her own now, she started this before she even hit the five month mark! This seems really young to me, but maybe I just forget. She can roll both ways (we cheer her on profusely for this talent!). She's also really scooty, and wants to move. If she is sitting on our laps, for example, and sees something she wants, she reaches out with both hands and leans her body into that direction. Sometimes she ends up on her knees with her hands planted in front of her and rocks just a little. I know that rocking position often proceeds crawling, so I won't be surprised if she crawls fairly soon. Well, I will and I won't, because in my mind she is still my tiny girl. She sounds older too, her babbles are more word-like. Bennett says things like: "Mama, Elodie say 'blah blah blah'," or "Elle told me 'ya'!"

If she would just learn the skill of sleeping well she would be the perfect baby! We still aren't doing so fabulously in that department, but it's o.k. At times it is pretty brutal-like this week when I practically had a break-down and wanted Rob to call in sick-but for the most part we are just pushing through, knowing how short the "sleepless period" really is in the big picture. It also helps that she is impossible to be mad at. She smiles with every ounce of energy she can muster, and it is wonderfully contagious. The best medicine!

Here she is sitting:

And here she is rolling. She is actually kind of a quick roley-poley, it doesn't always take as much effort as this video suggests.

And this one is totally off topic, but I loved it all the same. He just learned this new song a couple of days ago and hasn't stopped singing it since.

P.S, he is a sweeter big brother than I ever imagined a big brother could possibly be.

Photo Time

2009-07-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Per Auntie Tara's request...new(ish) pictures!!

"LAAAA...la la!"

Gushing with smiles

Not many better places (for B.) than
Uncle Tom's lap

Our Saturday morning favorite
(going to Farmer's Market)

Holding my Grandpa

Mutual Affection

Nudie Cutie

Bennett's best hiding skills :)

Me and my guy

Waking up with a smile

Oh. My. Cuteness.

Little Rosebud

Little Bit of B

2009-07-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Rob put together this video of Bennett, spanning over the last 6 months.

He turned 2 and 1/2 at the end of May, by the way (I am always curious how old peoples' kids are when I look at blogs). We love his little spirit, he is so filled with life.

Enjoy!

Happy 4th!

2009-07-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

We spent it in Monterey, it was super fun (will post a bazillion pictures soon). I think this is the only picture of all four of us to date, so I had to put it up. Rob doesn't have the patriotic color-thing going on, Bennett wouldn't take his sunglasses off, and Elodie and I could barely see (it was bright). But it is all four of us. Yay. I love us.

Whaaaaat?

2009-06-23T16:29:00.000-07:00

That's right, she is four months already. Newborn no more. Well, it depends on your definition of newborn, I guess, but Rob and I consider month four the end of the newborn days. We love month four! I mean, of course she has been our little angel since day one. But, I'm not gonna lie, it has not been easy. Month four is magic. The baby books tell you it is coming...for example, if your baby has colic, the books assure you that the crying will subside by the end of the third month. Oh, I remember that so clearly with my Bennett Bear; clinging for dear life until month four. The first three months of his life were the longest three months of mine. Sorry, Bear, but it's true. And then on March 1, 2007, just as the books predicted, the clouds lifted, the crying ceased, and his marvelous personality broke through. Magic. Well, this time around was easier in many ways (harder in others, of course, this is life we are talking about here). For starters, Ella girl was not colicky. Only a mother of a colicky baby can appreciate that distinction (o.k, fathers too, it just doesn't sound as dramatic). Second, time flew. Hence, the title of this post. I mean, I seriously cannot believe that she is four months old. In part because at least half of my brain cells are gone from pregnancy and lack of sleep. I actually don't even know what I'm talking about right now...

The other apparent difference with this little one is my mind set. Not in the-"you will be so much more relaxed this time around"-way that everyone said it would be. No, for me it has been more like...no matter how difficult the hour/day (or should I say night) is, I just know that I need to appreciate the time with her. I look at Bennett, and he is big...he speaks in sentences, we can reason with him. And that happened in a heartbeat. Everyone says it, but the cliche is so true: time flies. It just does. So, through all the challenges of her newborn-ness was this internal acknowledgment that she wouldn't be my tiny baby very long. And here we are at 4 months, the most challenging (for me, anyway) part of her very young age is already behind us. It is bitter sweet. But mostly sweet ;)

Happy birthday, baby grill (as Bennett pronounces it)!!

From Bennett and Elodie

2009-06-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

We learn so many important things from you everyday, Daddy.

Like how to work hard...

and play hard.

We love spending time with you...

and your snuggles are the best!

Happy Father's Day to the best Daddy ever. God sure did a perfect job
when He chose you for us!

Ellaroo

2009-06-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

She is getting so big! We have some smiles and (video) screams to share. Elodie is a super happy and easy-going girl. Now if she would just learn to sleep! Argh. That's right, another stinky sleeper. She was good at it in the beginning, but she rounded some weird, unfortunate corner, and, three/four weeks later...still won't sleep more than 2 hours at a time. Yuck. But the girl is so delightful when she's awake that it's kinda hard to be bitter about it. I mean, look at this face:

Tummy time!

She's talking to me here. She stares at me so much-I love it

We call this her "eat your face" face. She'll come at you
with her mouth wide open anytime.

And now for the smiles...

No neck, just chub :)

And next is a sampling of her screamy-squeal. Elodie has become quite fascinated with her own voice, as babies do. She has a happy scream that cracks us up. Sometimes she sounds way older when she screams-like a preschool-age girl. Weird, but cute.

Weekend Recap

2009-06-01T06:27:00.000-07:00

We had such a nice relaxing weekend. Actually, it was quite productive but still felt relaxing-that's the best kind! Auntie Kate came over on Thursday and brought a bunch of plants for our needy backyard (she is in the landscaping biz.). It was SO kind of her, we are very excited to beautify the place. So, we did a lot of that...yard work and being outside. My Mom and Dad came up for the day on Saturday and got right to work! They dug, weeded, watered, and planted all day. Thank you Auntie Kate for the plants, and thank you Mom and Dad for the labor! I wish I had taken a pic. of Bennett "working hard (as he says)"-very cute.

Then church on Sunday-have I mentioned we found a church?!? It is SOO good, we love it- great worship, great teaching, we love it!! It is huge, which is very different for both Rob and me, but the people are super friendly; we are already getting to know people and finding ways to be connected. I cannot tell you how grateful and excited we are about that.

Anyway, on to the pictures...we wouldn't want you to forget what we look like:

Elle's new bebe pod. She can sit up in it like a big girl!

Self photo, just to prove I still live here ;)

Bennett, Daddy, and Squirtz playing around

Rob brought this hat home from work on Friday,
it's the real deal(looks like a toy, huh?) and Bennett wore
it ALL weekend. And yes, Bennett does wear pants sometimes,
I swear.

Hee hee

She's a thumb sucker!

A Little Sunshine

2009-05-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

Since Bennett was born my favorite song to sing to him (and there are lots) is "You Are My Sunshine." I sing it almost every time he is falling asleep. At some young age he started joining me in singing every few words of the song. For example: "You are my (B. joins) SUNSHINE. My only SUNSHINE. You make me HAPPY When skies are GRAY." I, ofcourse, thought this was adorable; still do, actually. He never sang this song around the house, though, like he does his other favorites such as Old MacDonald, She Loves You, and Farmer in the Dell. That is why he completely caught me by surprise the other day when he started to sing "Sunshine" (that's what we call it), and he knew every word. I totally got choked up-I'm a sap, I know. That's our song though, our special song, and it was as if he had been hiding it in his little heart to surprise us one day. I made a huge deal of his performance, so in the video that follows he is being silly. Though the silliness makes it difficult to understand him, I will still watch it over and over again! Without further ado...my little Sunshine:

Check This Out

2009-05-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

--Rob

What Do You Think?

2009-05-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

Bennett at 12 weeks:

Elodie at 11 weeks:

Bennett:
Elodie:Likenesses? Differences? Resemblances? I want to know what you think!

A Tribute (I Can't Help it)

2009-05-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of reasons that I love my Mom. I love that she can start up a lively conversation. I love the way she always the house stocked and ready with our favorite things when we visit (orange juice for Tara, cherrios for Colleen, and tea for me). I love the fact that she doesn't complain about working hard. I love the way she loves my Dad. I love that she wants to solve our problems when we are having rough times. I could go on...but I would rather share an example.

When Elodie was first born (11 weeks ago, can you believe it??), my Mom came up for a week and cared for the four of us. I meant to write about it back then, but the sleepless delirium caused a fog in my brain and I never did. First of all, my Mom was ready, I mean bags packed, cell phone on, ready to drive up weeks before my due date. She was completely flexible about when she would come and what her role would be, and I really appreciated that, because there were so many potential birth scenarios. Just a couple of weeks before baby time I panicked about being "all alone" with two kids. By myself. In a new town. No friends. Husband working long hours in the city. By myself. You get the point -I can get a bit dramatic. We decided it would be best for my Mom to come back the week Rob went back to work. So she came up again about a week after returning home from meeting Elodie. The week my Mom was here was BY FAR my toughest post partum week (so far, keep your fingers crossed!). I was a wreck. I was super sick with a breast infection and some other stuff that probably doesn't belong in a blog. I wasn't sleeping much, and nursing was going pretty poorly. I felt like I was just floating along, eating sandwiches that were placed in my hand, putting on clothes that had somehow become clean, and napping on pillows that miraculously appeared. During that week I was also incredibly grumpy. When I say grumpy, don't picture a cute little dwarf who's cheeks turn pink when kissed by a fairytale figure. No, think grumpy: Having or showing a bad temper: cantankerous, crabbed, cranky, cross, disagreeable, fretful, grouchy, ill-tempered, irascible, irritable, nasty, peevish, petulant, querulous, snappish, snappy, surly, testy, ugly. You get my point. Guess who took the brunt of my attitude? You guessed it, my Mom. But my Mom just kept cleaning, folding, cooking, caring, and burping (the baby, that is). Not once did she snap back at me. She was the one that placed those sandwiches in my hand, and washed the clothes that came clean, and placed the pillows under my head. My Mom took such great care me when I was far from lovable.

And that's my Mom. She is fun smart, and adventurous...but the best thing about her is her ability to love her family when we are unloveable.

So, thanks, Mom. Thanks taking such great care of me all of my life; especially during the times when I have acted unloveable. I hope I can do the same for my babies. Happy Mother's Day!

Belated Post

2009-05-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back the Brennans came into town to meet the baby-we had a great visit! Bennett just loves his cousins very much, and they are so sweet with him. It is strange for me to see how grown up they are, especially Ryan and Hannah. I remember so many special times spent with them when they were Elodie and Bennett's ages, and it doesn't feel like it was that long ago. Sometimes it seems as if Rob and I went away for a little bit and...poof!...they were grown.

The Brennans made a vacation out of it and ventured into the city to do fun stuff. Bennett joined them on one of those days trips; he had a blast! Elodie and I enjoyed the time alone, and I also snuck in a shower and other simple things that are luxuries lately. Even though I was still in a bit of a baby haze, it was wonderful to have our family here. I continue to be amazed by how kind, considerate, and mature those kids are, and I am greatful that our little ones get to grow up with them!

Ryan, Hannah, and baby Elle

Jocelyn ("Auntie J.J.") , Michaela and the girl

"Monkey face!"

Thanks for everything, guys!

Baby Love

2009-04-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

We are so in love! Look at that little face, isn't she dreamy?

Brother and Sister. They both seem in awe of eachother.

Smooch!

Squishy face

She wants to be a big girl, she is always trying
to pull up, and she loves to be upright.

My three favorites

Finally, I took a photo with them!
Do you like her boxing gloves?

Out like a light

Her hair stands up after a bath, we love it! She has her Daddy's straight hair for sure.

Pure sweetness; I can't explain it, but she is all girl.

Character

2009-04-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

Bennett is a little character.
Lately he says such strange and funny things. I want to share some of his recent quotes. You really need to hear his little voice and how he pronounces things for the full affect. Too bad we can't capture everything!

Here is some of the funny stuff he has said lately:

Bennett (holding up his bitten apple slice): "Mama look, a letter!"
Me: "What letter do you think that is, maybe a C?"
Bennett: "No, it is a piece of R."

Bennett: "Mama, look, I found garlic!"
(He is totally pretending, there is no garlic in sight)
Me: "Oh."
Bennett: "Ya, it's growing!"
Ah, my little weirdo.

The next one started with him making this expression:

I, of course laughed, and he said, "I make Mommy laugh."
"Yep, you did," I say. "Um hm, I'm precious."
Ha ha. Not sure if he knows what precious means, but I was cracking up.

O.k., next up (this one is not a quote):
Bennett has a new technique he has developed that is startlingly skillful. The fake cry. The first few cries had me so convinced that I thought he was sick or in some kind of pain. As I began to realize how suddenly his sadness came to a halt, I thought, "he couldn't possibly be doing that on purpose, could he?" Not that I think this behavior is above the boy, and a fake cry seems like classic two year old behavior. It was just too real: The red eyes, the tears streaming down...
One day he was crying, and I said, "Bennett, I think you are pretending, can you stop please?" The tears stopped immediately, as he replied, "Ya, o.k." Can someone please get this boy in an acting class? Here, see for yourself (disclaimer: this is not his best work):

By the way, when he walks away at the end, he is going watch himself cry in the mirror! All I had to do to make him stop was rub his head and make a weird noise (or something like that).

And, my favorite, his prayer the other day:
"Thank you, Jesus...Daddy, Mommy, Elodie, Squirtz (his stuffed elephant)...
and pancakes and burritos."
Amen buddy, Amen!

SMILES!

2009-04-21T21:23:00.000-07:00

She smiles more everyday; I couldn't resist posting these!

5 YEARS!!

2009-04-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Here is to...
5 amazing years together,
living in 4 fabulous cities,
making 2 beautiful babies,
and innumerable memories.

On to the next adventure...

I love you, Rob!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of ours:

Bennett loved searching for eggs in Grammy
and Bumpa's yard. The hunt slowed way down
once he realized that there was something inside those
eggs!

This was our first road trip since the baby was born. It was
really sweet except for Bennett's yucky cold

He was able to forget about the said
cold during the festivities

The lupine in my parents meadow is so lovely this year!
(Stacy, are you reading)?

My Mom sets the table so beautifully, doesn't she?
(By the way, Rob makes of me for taking photos like this)

We had to practically set him on top of some
of the eggs before he noticed them :).

Thank you, Grammy and Bumpa for a wonderful weekend! We always enjoy being at your house. You are so generous to us, and the kids are lucky to be spoiled by you with love and treats!!

The Randall's Visit-dedicated to Auntie CoCo, who is very missed

2009-04-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody,
I haven't been around the blogging world much lately...

We have actually had a lot to share, but the computer hasn't been home. Rob has needed the Mac at work for stuff he can't do on a PC. So the blog (and, more importantly, my record of Elodie's first few weeks) has suffered at bit.

Elodie is 7 weeks now-can you believe it? She is a sweet, sweet baby. She is smiling a lot, and cooing more and more everyday. The biggest, and probably the most pleasant surprise about her is that she sleeps! She goes right to bed with us and just wakes up once or twice to nurse and then falls back asleep-amazing! She and I are still working nursing out. It has been tough, but she is persistent (the lactation lady says, "she's a feeder!"), and I am really determined. We are doing really well over all. We are still adjusting to some degree. I, for example, have not attempted to grocery shop on my own with the two of them. Oh, I can't neglect to mention that she is over 11 lbs. and 23 inches. She is in the 97th percentile for her age; not that I really care about percentages except to know that she is a big, healthy girl!

We have had some great visits lately with family and friends, so hopefully I will do some catch-up posts. Here are our pics. of last week's visit with the Randalls-it was so much fun. Tommy, Ally, and Tara finally got to meet the baby, and Bennett loved hanging out with his cousins.

Admiring his new cousin

The boys had fun getting soaked in the backyard

And then they needed a bath
(Tommy is so shy, isn't he)?

This is the biggest smile we can get out
of B. lately as he says, "cheeeeeese!"

Auntie Tara looks pretty happy to hold her neice!
She was super helpful, and even took Bennett
to the mall one day (his favorite)

Grammy and Bumpa were here for a quick visit

That was our visit! Hopefully El. can meet her Uncle Josh soon (someone's gotta work, though, right?)!

A Little Bit of Bennett

2009-03-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of clips of the boy. The first is really quick, something he likes to do when his shirt is off. Next, he wanted to show his singing skills; when the camera turned on, he became a little bit shy.

First Week

2009-03-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of our first week at home. She is 3 weeks today, and already it feels that time is flying by. I'm too tired to write more, but here is a little insight:

Snuggling her Dad

First time Holding his little sis

My Babies

Hanging out on Daddy's lap while he gets some work done

Bennett made Elodie smile from thse start!

More Hospital Pics.

2009-03-08T16:51:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,
It has been awhile; we have more recent pictures, but I can't help but post a few more from the time we were in the hospital-it was so special. Hopefully I will come back and do a true update post soon, but I am not making any promises. I am guessing that the blogging is going to continue being a little sparse for a while! Monday was Elodie's 2 week birthday, so I wanted to honor the occasion. I thought that by this time I would have written out her (amazing) birth story, and put up a bazillion photos...Ha! Not quite.

Probably her first picture taken. I know she has goopey stuff all over her eyes, but I think she looks beautiful. Don't you want to kiss that little mouth? I can, because I'm her Mom :)!

Proud Grandpa/Gramps

Bennett and Bumpa (my Dad). B. was so excited to hang out
with all of his grandparents.

Elodie and Noni (Rob's Mom)

Elodie and Grammy

Sharing the Love

This pic. is a bit scary, but I had to put it up. I will never forget how happy I felt. It was amazing to go from the intensley difficult experience of labor to inexplicable joy- in an instant (literally). The moment she came out, I just couldn't believe she was here. I kept saying, "We did it! We did it! She's here, we did it!" Rob was like, "No babe, you did it." I honestly feel like I could not have made it through without Rob there helping me, though, and that little girl fought her way into the world. I think she is ambitious like her Dad.

Side note: I wasn't allowed to sit up for awhile because of my stinky blood pressure.
That is why I lounging.

Daddy couldn't be more proud!

First picture of the three of us (and the only one we
took of Rob and I together). The dude who
wheeled me out of the hospital took this.

This is what we found when we came home from the hospital. Grandpa,
Noni,and Bennett happily hanging out (oh, and a clean house-thank you!).
Rob's parents were up the week before Elodie came, and that was
so great not just for the time together, but it really prepared Bennett
to be cared for by them while we were away at the hopital for a couple
of days. That was one of my biggest concerns before going into labor, simply
because we had never left him. It went GREAT!
We were (and are) so thankful for the time they took from work to care for our little guy.
It helped that they like him a lot, I am sure!

I hope to be back soon...we need to share more "since we have come home" photos. It has been a rough week and a half for me physically, I have had every boob-affliction under the sun. Between sweats and chills, I couldn't bring myself to the computer. But I am on the mend, and our little angel baby deserves to be shown off!

Introducing...

2009-02-25T20:40:00.000-08:00

Elodie Grace Markley

Born: Monday, February 23rd
Time: 7:53pm (Bennett was born at 7:53am, funny huh?)
Weight: 8lb 5oz
Length: 21in

We'll post more pictures and the story later. Kelly and Elodie are doing great. Bennett loves being a big brother and I still can't believe there's an 's' on the end of 'my kids.'

Last Days As Three

2009-02-22T20:29:00.001-08:00

Today was our last day spent as a family of three. Tomorrow morning we check into the hospital bright and early to be induced and meet our baby girl!!! We are beyond excited to see this brand new little one and to hold her tiny hands. These past few days, however, Rob and I can't help but be just a little saddened to say goodbye, in a sense, to the family we have known. We have made every effort to soak up these undivided moments with Bennett, and it has been so sweet. Tonight we went here to celebrate our last evening as the Markley three. We had so much fun! After explaining to Bennett that we would be at the hospital tomorrow, and that he would finally meet his new sister, the little guy did not want to go to sleep. He is anxious about all of the changes.

Our bags are packed as we excitedly, nervously, and hopefully enter into a (probably restless) night of sleep one last time at home before seeing Elodie Grace.

--Kelly

He loved all the babies.
Coincidence? We don't think so :)!

Making treats the other day
(Bennett's first chocolate chip cookie)

Rob here. Please keep us in your prayers over the next day or two: pray that labor would come quickly and progress smoothly. Please pray that the doctor/nurses would have extra guidance and skill. Above all, please pray for baby and momma. Next time we talk, we'll be a family of four!

Sentences

2009-02-13T19:40:00.000-08:00

The little guy has been speaking in sentences more and more, and they are getting pretty funny lately. If only my pregnant brain could remember more of them. Here are some samples:

"Bert and Ernie good friends."

"Hey, watch this!!"
(His comment before proceeding to splash bath water all over me).

Bennett: "Mommy. Get it."
(Referring to a toy stuck under the couch).
Me: "Bennett, can you get it, please?"
Bennett: "Mommy, please reach it."
Me: "It is really hard for me to reach it, buddy."
Bennett: "Ya. Belly."

Me: "Bennett, I love you."
Bennett: " I know that."

Preface: "peanut" is how he pronounces the word penis, a recent fascination.
Bennett: "My peanut. Daddy's peanut. Mommy's peanut?"
Me: "No, Mommy doesn't have a peanut."
B.: "Ya. Mommy girl."

Bennett (speaking directly to my tummy): Hi Elodie. See you soon. Meet you.

He's also really into standing on his head right now.

Some Thoughs...

2009-02-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

First, thanks so much, friends and family, for all of the feedback on my pregnancy pictures. It is really wonderful to have you all sharing in our excitement over this baby!

I have a little something to say about Bennett. I have been pretty nervous about him transitioning into big-brotherhood. I am actually feeling much better about all of it-maybe a sign that we are ready? Still, the things that have been swirling in my crazy pregnant mind have been exhausting at times!

Here is what I know: I know that he is a sweet-natured boy, and I know that he will be a great big brother. I also know that this is a normal transition that most of us go through at some point in life. We all survive. And he will too. I know these things, rationally. I still worry, though, about how all of those instant changes will affect him, especially in the beginning. He will often have to wait for Rob or me to finish changing/nursing/helping his little sister instead of droppping everything to attend to him. He will no longer always be the star or the center of things. He will worry what all the crying is about (our empathetic son can't stand sadness or crying). He will probably have trouble sleeping in our small house with this sometimes noisy new addition. And ofcourse at some point he will wonder why Mommy is more tired-and possibly-a little grumpier than she used to be (just keeping it real).

I think I have spent about as much time thinking about how Bennett will do when we are at the hospital as I have about bringing Miss Elodie into the world. Will he wake up if it is the middle of the night and be totally confused about where his parents are? If so, will that make him mad at his innocent little sister for causing all of the rucus? Oh, the concerns go on and on...

But then I think about how she will eventually-maybe even instantly-bring tons of joy into his world. There will come a day when he won't remember his life with out her, and he probably will not want to. They will become buddies, playmates, confidantes, and hopefully really good friends. I think about my two sisters -and cousin who is like a sister- and all of the love, lessons, and friendship that we have shared. They have made my life so much richer; there is no other relationship like the one shared between siblings.

Anyway, just some thoughts. Ofcourse there will be some bumps, but I think overall he will be thankful for this little girl...even if she doesn't do much more than sleep and poop in the beginning.

Here is a (completely unrelated) video of our vastly talented son whistling. You may have to turn your volume way up.

Full Term!

2009-02-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

Apparently thirty seven weeks is considered full term-I thought it was 38. I am 37 (and a 1/2) weeks along! It is very exciting to be at this point where the baby could come any day, as they say. Though I suspect that she won't be here for a little while longer, walking around knowing that we could meet her any day now is pretty thrilling. I did not get to experience this part of pregnancy with Bennett since he was a scheduled c-section. So, I am probably kind of funny to live with right now...but I will let Rob be the judge of that. I am all over the place, running around trying to have every little thing ready. Our bags are packed, plans are made, and Grammy and Auntie Kate are on call (thank you!).

Last week I had some pre-labor developments. Don't read this paragraph if pregnancy details freak you out. I had a bunch of Braxton-Hicks contractions at the beginning of the week (Mon.-Wed.). No big deal, just the tightening and loosening of my belly, I knew it was nothing "real." At my doctor's appointment, however, I found out I am 1cm dilated. Now to some, this may not seem like much, but I was pretty much jumping for joy. In all honesty, until last week I didn't have a lot of faith that my body would do the labor thing on it's own. Then on Wed. night, I had all kinds of contractions- close together, in my lower abdomen, and my lower back (a sign of labor). I was pretty sure it wasn't labor, but again, I enjoyed every moment of it-I'm weird, I know-because something was obviously happening. Thursday morning came, and she had dropped; I am pretty sure that is what all the commotion was about. Nothing much has happened since that exciting evening, but all signs point to baby Elle getting ready for the real world. Rob is actually out of town in Sacramento this week, so if she does come soon, hopefully she can at least wait until Thursday night :)!

Here are a couple of pics. Rob took yesterday:

Maybe our next post will be baby pictures!

Two of His (and our) Favorites

2009-01-22T12:48:00.000-08:00

Dancing and Laughing.

The lighting isn't so great in this video, but it is still really fun to watch my boys dance. Notice how Rob is trying to hide in the corner as if the neighbors are going to spy on him :)!

I have watched this one over and over, and it still makes me laugh out loud!

P.S: Check out the baby count down at the top of the page-less than 30 days to go!

The Things We'll Miss

2009-01-20T12:22:00.001-08:00

Naturally, since we have been here in the bay area, we have thought a lot about what we left behind. We are really pleased to be in the northern part of Cali., and to be settled and through with moving around (Lord willing!). It is just all part of the process, though, to look back a little and think of all that we experienced in our previous home. For one thing, Long Beach will always be Bennett's birth place. I will never forget walking endlessly in our first neighborhood with our tiny newborn. That was pretty much all we did was walk around and explore, since we didn't know anyone. The beach was only about six blocks from our house, so we went there often. We eventually settled in and made friends-it felt like it took forever. Looking back, it really didn't take that long.

I became part of a mom's group, and that gave Bennett and I something to do. Later on, in a class Bennett took, I met my friend Christy. For some reason our friendship totally took me by surprise-and it was such a sweet surprise. I have never mentioned Christy on our blog before, probably mainly because she is not a fellow blogger. She and her son Wiley were a big part of our everyday life in L.B, and both Bennett and I have really been missing them since we left. Bennett often asks if Wiley will be there when we go to our "new park", and he has even asked to email Wiley a couple of times :). Christy is also pregnant with baby number 2, only about 6 weeks behind me. While we are/were both busy chasing our boys, we always found time to hang out. I am really going to miss our regular visits, and the much needed breaks that we provided eachother. Whether at the park, farmer's market, one of our homes, etc., our friendship provided a little sanity when life became a little too centered around toddler and baby living.

Anyway, I didn't plan on writing a whole dedication to Christy and Wiley, that just sort of happened. But here are some pictures of the things we will miss:

The Randalls (sis. and fam.)
It goes without saying. It has not quite
sunk in for me yet how far we are from them...ugh.
Bennett cried, actually cried when he couldn't go see Ally
our first day here.

Beach time

Buddies!
Bennett's first friend, Tyler

Bennett's good friend, Olivia, a.k.a. "O."

Playing with O

Our playgroup (not everyone is pictured).
Most of us moms were either pregnant
or had a newborn. This is a great group
of ladies!

Evan

...and ofcourse:

Wiley!

Christy and Wiley

Here's to good friends, good times, and a happy first 2 years of life in the L.B.C.!

And So It Goes...

2009-01-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

We had a second appointment yesterday w/my new Dr.F. He was concerned last week about my high blood pressure, and, well, yesterday it was worse (174/94). So, he sent me over to the hospital to be monitored and have blood and other tests done.

For anyone who may not know, I was put on bed rest right about this time in my pregnancy w/Bennett for the same reason. I have been hopeful that things wouldn't go this way again, because my B.P. numbers have been way better this pregnancy.

Anyway, it was much easier yesterday having been through this before. Still not my favorite thing to be hospitalized, of course, but Rob was a rock, and Bennett handled the hours of doctor time like a little champ. The hard part is always waiting with out answers, but I felt confident that everything was o.k. The best case scenario would have been that it was just high blood pressure, not effecting my platelet count, liver function, and amniotic fluid level.... the worst case scenario would have been that some or all of those things were impacted by the b.p, and the baby would need to be delivered. All of my tests came out normal/good, and they sent me home with a prescription for blood pressure medication. Hopefully the meds. will get things under control and I won't have to go on bed rest.

The good news was, she is still head down (unlike my breech Bennett), and the doc. says if my blood pressure stabilizes, I am a good candidate for a vbac. Also, I'm lovin' this doctor! Not in an inappropriate "pregnant lady has a crush on her OB" kind of way (that happens a lot, you know). We just feel super comfortable with him, his office, and the hospital. I know I mentioned it before, but I think it is worth repeating. I wish we had moved into his care sooner!

I have a blood pressure cuff at home, and today I pulled it out, and Bennett said: "bud-pre-pur... baby...um hm." Translation: Mom's checking her blood pressure to make sure the baby is o.k. I have never explained that to him; he always knows more than we think! I will continue to keep you all posted. I need to post a couple of funny videos, too, so you will hear from us soon.

Best. Son. Ever.

2009-01-09T23:12:00.000-08:00

Here's how it went down:

Bennett: More
Me: More what?
Bennett: Cow bell

No joke!

Update

2009-01-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

We have some recent pregnancy news. To start off, here is what I read in my preggo journal today (hopefully this is not too boring):

"If your baby is born now, it will not only be able to make an efficient transition from the womb to the outside, but it will also be able to resist disease...This day marks the end of eight months (34 weeks) of pregnancy."

So, here we are at month nine. Woh. We have had some stress with moving and finding a doctor; there were only so many options with our insurance, naturally, and when I called around, a bunch of them basically responded by saying, "you're how many weeks?!? Not gonna happen." Then there is this other -not so small- issue of the limited number of doctors and hospitals around here that will allow VBACs. Anyway, yesterday we got some great news, and I am so excited that I needed to blog about it. We had an appointment to meet with one last doctor yesterday afternoon. If things went well, we would be happy and move forward with the new guy. If things did not go well, we would have had to stick with a doctor that neither of us felt very comfortable with (we met him and it was a strange experience), and I would have had no chance of trying a VBAC. So, as you may have guessed, yesterday's appointment went great! We are very excited about the new doctor. His office was cozy but still professional, and his staff was SO friendly. The ladies met Bennett, and loved him, and of course we love anyone who loves Bennett. They even offered to watch him during some appointments since we are new to the area and Rob may not be able to leave work to help me out. Also, I will deliver (naturally or by caesarean-we will see) at a hospital in Berkeley called Alta Bates. It has an outstanding reputation, and we are told that they are really well equipped for complications. And bonus: the labor rooms are private! My doctor will be the guy to bring Elodie into the world (as opposed to another on-call doctor), and that makes me really happy. So, ya, just good, good news all around for the Markleys. We are feeling incredibly grateful to God for taking such care with every detail (as always) of this move. I knew all along that He would make it all good for this baby-after all, He already knows her and loves her. Knowing and trusting are two very different things, though, and I will admit that I was becoming worried. My doubts were put to rest by a God who is much bigger than us.

In Bennett news...I finally cut his hair. I actually really liked it a little longer, but it kept getting super shaggy really fast. Here are the before and afters:

A Little Bit of Christmas

2009-01-05T21:33:00.001-08:00

Hello all,
For starters, we made it up to the Bay Area! We are alive and well. It has seemed incredibly fast and blurry, and I really know nothing about this town besides the street we live on and-God Bless them-the Trader Joe's, a half of a block away. The truth is, I don't even know what is up our street and around the bend, and I wonder where all those cars are headed... but we are here. We LOVE our new house-it completely feels like a home, even with packed and unpacked boxes still laying around. I will blog about all of it later, but I wanted to show a glimpse into our Christmas before it got away from me.

This picture captures my memory of
Christmas perfectly. Smiles, laughter, sweet cousins,
and squishy puppies.

My favorite present

I am so much bigger than I look here (think "gargantuan")!

Grammy and Santa Bennett sharing a hug

We had a great visit with the Brennans.
Bennett just loves his SLO county cousins-and
doesn't he look like part of their pack?

O.k., I have to say it...how lucky am I?

And I couldn't resist (or choose between) the following videos. The first is Bennett figuring out his new Elmo toy, the second is Tommy and Bennett playing light sabers. The light saber game was the first time we had seen little B. role play like a big kid!

I hope you enjoyed. Happy new year everyone!

Terry Fator

2008-12-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

Last week I was able serve as Technical Director for a show featuring Terry Fartor. The dude's amazing! See below for a sample.

(This is Rob, by the way, not Bennett)

Holiday Pics

2008-12-19T13:45:00.000-08:00

Here are some holiday photos a little late to be posted:

Wrestling Grandpa

Playing guitar with Uncle Kevin
(I am his biggest fan)

After my bath

Whoops! It's cool, I'm not shy.

Hide n seek with Dad

The family (Uncle Tom is not in the shot-he took it)

Mom, Dad, and Me

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Fa La La La La

2008-12-12T21:31:00.001-08:00

Bennett is our little Christmas elf. I say this because he loves all the "stuff" of Christmas this year, now that he is a big two year old. He is excited about Christmas lights, Christmas trees, giving Christmas gifts...the list goes on. However, nothing exceeds his love for-you guessed it- Christmas music. His all time favorite is one he calls the "hee-hee-hee" song, a quirky little ditty by Nat King Cole. It is a happy, silly song sung in the voice of "the happiest Christmas tree... ho-ho-ho, hee-hee-hee." Rob and I are torturing ourselves day after day by putting the song on repeat, because Bennett's reaction to it is so priceless. It involves smiling, laughing, dancing, and singing. I wish I could get him on video, but the second the camera makes a click or a ding he charges me like a tiny bull demanding to "see it, see it." This is why I don't post more videos.

His runner-up favorite is Jingle Bells (pronounced "ginko buzz"). He requests this one frequently, but we don't own it, so we turn on the radio and wait. The other day we walked into Starbucks, and Bennett stopped in the middle of the doorway to start dancing before I realized what song was playing. It was Ella Fitzgerald singing Jingle Bells. Gotta love that kid. He also likes Angels We Have Heard on High because he can sing the chorus: "glo-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh..."

Anyway, that's why he is our little Christmas elf. He gets it from his Dad, who-and this may surprise you- gets SO excited about all of the Christmas stuff. I am no scrooge, don't get me wrong, I love Christmas too. But my boys have me beat on the excitement and anticipation of all of it, making it that much more wonderful for me!

I found a video of Bennett dancing (sort of), and even though it's not to Christmas music playing, it is pretty cute. I can't believe he actually let me take it!

Movin' On Up

2008-12-07T19:41:00.001-08:00

So, here's our big news...
Rob accepted a new job up in San Francisco, and we are moving up north on December 29th. It feels really anticlimactic to blog about, because it seems that everyone who actually reads our blog is family, and you all know. But anyway, we are really excited for another adventure, and we hope that this is it for us. I mean, moving every few months is fun and all (I have actually discovered that I love this type of change and get antsy after staying put any place for some length of time), but it is time to put down some roots.

Rob will be doing the same work he does now (corporate/hotel audio visual work), only this is a regional position. He has a large territory, including 14 hotels located in and between Monterey and Tahoe, but will be mainly working out of The Fairmont Hotel and The Ritz Carlton in the city.

We actually have a house already (pictured above)! We will be living in Castro Valley, in the East Bay. Rob's sister and brother in-law-to-be will only be about 15 minutes away in Pleasanton, so that will be really great. Also, my parents will be 2 hours south of us now (verses our current 6 hour trek)-yay! God really blessed us through the home search, and actually used that process to give me (and I think Rob too, but I will speak for myself) a huge peace about the move. I am so incredibly grateful for how smooth all of the details are going, especially considering that it will be just 6ish weeks from "baby time" when we get there!

More details to follow...

O.k, I have blogged about it, so it must be official.

Bennett Turns Two

2008-12-02T21:01:00.000-08:00

O.k, so we have been really busy, but I cannot neglect to mention that the little guy turned 2. On Thanksgiving day, Bennett reached this important life number. The following Saturday, we celebrated via birthday party at Grandpa and Noni Markley's house in Nipomo. He was surrounded by family and friends, and he had the time of his little life.

It was kind of a bummer, because the pictures did not come out well from the party. Attention parents: How do you enjoy the party with your kid and the party goers, while simultaneously capturing the memories? Better luck next year! Here's a couple...

The Cake

Bennett eating a cupcake-he wouldn't touch the frosting, and
eventually asked for a fork. I think he inherited this quality
from his cousin Tommy.

Here is a little tribute to him, and a glimpse into his two years of growing:

Thank you, sweet Bennett for all the joy that came along when you entered our lives. Your name means "little blessed one," but your Daddy and I feel that we are the blessed ones for raising and knowing you. You are: Sensitive, bright, joyful, intuitive, expressive, spunky, fun, friendly, mischievous, mellow, cuddly, stubborn, loving, social, decisive, content, musical...and much more. We love watching you grow!

This Kid is So Pushy

2008-11-25T20:23:00.001-08:00

My patience is tried. I am physically tired and worn down from this. I knew that being a parent would have it's ups and downs, but never did I expect to be pushed around like this. The kicking, the pressing, the shoving...

and she is not even born yet! Yep, I'm talking about Elodie :). She has actually been wonderful to me. She only made me feel a little sick in the beginning (and I truly mean a little), and sometimes she makes me tired. That is it. But this past month, she has developed a new habit of pushing around in there like she wants out or something. The girl is aggressive. I remember Bennett's kicks-a little bam there, or a little jolt there. Not Elodie. She "kicks" whole-heartedly with all four limbs. She rolls, she scoots, she shoves. The borders are being stretched to their limit (and by borders, I mean my belly). Funny, funny girl.

Lately, I find myself asking Bennett to please rub off on his sister when she comes out. He is so sweet, mellow, and fun. He says excuse me when he burps. He randomly comes at me with wide open arms, and gives me a hug, a kiss, and says "I wu woo." He is still a toddler, and he has fits and melt downs like all toddlers do. But he apologizes on his own. I am not even kidding. Rob and I keep asking him lately "how did you get so sweet?" We are baffled. God is good. Little Bennett makes me excited to meet our Elodie-pushy or not.

FYI: We have big news on the horizon...stay tuned!

Family Photos

2008-11-21T19:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics. from a recent family visit. Just thought I'd share...

Ally and Me hanging out on the rocks

Stealing a kiss while on Daddy's shoulders

Grammy, Ally, Tommy, and Me

I love playing piano with my cousins!

Bumpa and Dad working on their chops

Coco and the Cousins

Thanks for looking!

Funny Parade

2008-11-12T16:18:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,
A few weeks back, we went down to little Belmont Shore for a dog costume parade-so cute! Bennett loves dogs-it was really fun. It kind of amazed us the amount of time and love that people put into preparing costumes and floats (yes, floats) for themselves and their dogs. My favorite was a little float full of U.S. chiuaua troops; the picture does not do it justice, unfortunately. It was a wagon transformed into a tank, with about five or six chiuauas holding down the mobile fort, wearing soldier uniforms-hats and all-and carrying expressions of complete ownership. Too funny.

This is the float I told you about!

And I couldn't leave without a little (just woke up) Bennett shot :)

Quite a Victory

2008-11-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

I've got to say, no matter what your political beliefs are, or how you voted, November 4th 2008 was a great day for the American people. I cannot stop thinking about the powerful impact that having a black president will have on our society.

Rob and I got into bed early on Tuesday night (Bennett has been waking up at the crack of dawn, so we were tired), when we heard yelling in the streets, horns honking, and even some fireworks. I probably should have prefaced that statement by saying that we live in a very diverse neighborhood. It was clear that the people shouting "Obama!!" outside our windows were Black. The next morning Bennett and I were walking down the street; we passed by some people who appeared to be strangers, and one man, a black man, reached out his hand and shook the other man's hand and said, "well, black man, we now have a black president. Did you ever think you would see this day?" He had giant, proud grin on his face as he said hello to Bennett and I.

I have seen various interviews over the past couple of days of incredibly accomplished black authors, professors, politicians, etc., that say, just like the man on the street did, that they thought they would not live to see this day. A very heavy statement, especially from such forward-thinking people. I can’t help but be moved by the fact that this day came within our generation. I am amazed by how much change has happened in just four generations. Without even realizing it (at least until a certain age) Bennett will look at black people in a completely different light than my grandparents, my parents, or I did-all because of this president.

One more story: When I worked for FCNI, I had a 6-year old client, a boy, whose skin was very dark. He was actually part Mexican, part black (this is one reason I take issue with the term African American-though he may have looked it, he did not consider himself African at all). He often struggled with the color of his skin, because there were no other students at his school that were as dark as him. This little guy lived with his grandparents, who were white, and this was also confusing for him. Anyway, one day, the boy, his grandma and I were talking about what he would grow up to be. He thought there were not many things he could do, because he had so much trouble in his life (sad logic for a six year old, I know). The little boy’s grandma started to list the many things that he could one day accomplish, and I was ready to jump right on board-until I listened to her list. The Grandma said, “You could be a basketball star, or a rapper, or a football player…” I could not believe my ears. I agreed with her that he may grow up and do one of these things, and told him he could do anything else he worked at, like becoming a teacher, or a doctor, or whatever he chose. I like to hope that as of election day, in 2008, this young boy has added one more career possibility to his list-President of the United States.

Little Rob

2008-10-27T21:19:00.001-07:00

So, you have to really know Bennett's Daddy to appreciate this post, and I think all of you do.

The three of us went to our local pumpkin patch the weekend before last...pumpkins were only the beginning at this place. In typical Long Beach style, the patch had everything: rides, a train, a giant slide, and a petting zoo.

Here is the part where Little Rob immerged. You can probably tell from previous posts and photos that Bennett is a fairly animated guy. When he is in certain scenarios, however, usually when his surroundings are new, he turns into a tiny stone wall. He is happy, excited even, if you look closely; but his expression is dead serious. He just takes it all in, and he talks about the experience for days to follow. This was how Bennett reacted to Disneyland, for example. If you met him for the first time that day, you probably would never guess that he is an extroverted, giggly, chatty, little fella. In fact, it wouldn't even have been apparent to a stranger that he was having fun at all. But Rob and I find his "fun overload" attitude to be hilarious. You see, he comes by it honestly. I have been beside Rob through many happy moments-birthdays, graduations, our wedding, to name a few-and there are times when you have to know him quite well to recognize his excitement. I actually love this character trait. Now, I get to love it in both the men in my life!

This very short video captures the description above just a little. On his first ride alone Bennett took his driving very seriously!

The not-so-smooth start!

O.k, I can't help myself...a few more photos:

Same reaction to the ponies

A little smirk while playing with Dad

Belly update-I know I'm a lot bigger than this pumpkin :)

What finally made the little guy smile?

CHOCOLATE! That's my boy!!

Just Three 1/2 Months Ago...

2008-10-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

Bennett and I were looking through photos and videos together the other day-one of his favorite past times- and I cam across this one. I recorded it in early July, and I can't believe how much he has changed! His voice has changed (not so babyish anymore), his vocabulary has exploded-his hair is even long. I wish I had a good recent video for comparison, but we rarely talk with him while recording; videos are mostly about capturing Bennett's dance moves.

P.S-Sorry it is side-ways, Rob has told me approximately six hundred and thirty two times that there is one correct way to hold the camera when recording, but I am a slow learner.

I can't watch it without getting a little teary; our little guy is growing up! More posts to follow soon...

Carmel Valley Trip

2008-10-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

In the previous post I mentioned our recent trip to my home in Carmel Valley. I wanted to add some more pictures, but there were so many to choose from that I had to make a slide show-below are my favorites. Bennett fully enjoyed playing in the meadow at my parent's house, exploring the pumpkin patch at Earthbound Farms, and playing in the sand at Carmel beach. We also had a lovely visit with our family friends, the Kreps. Enjoy the photos!

I Had a Date With My Son Yesterday...

2008-10-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

and it was really sweet.
This last weekend our little family headed up to Carmel Valley for a much needed visit with my parents. It had been way too long since we had traveled all the way up north-as opposed to meeting them in SLO-and it was wonderful, relaxing, and fun. I will post pictures soon, but the short story is that Bennett did great in the car (7 hours each way without a single gripe! Better than I can say for myself), and great during the day (he pulled out every vocab. word he has for his Grammy, Bumpa, and Mombo). He struggled with sleep, however, which is normal for him when we go out of town. This brings me to our date. Yesterday morning little B. and are were both pretty tired from a few nights in a row of interrupted sleep, so I wanted to do something a little more mellow than our usual park/play date/etc. So we headed over to the marketplace where we usually walk around the pond to look for ducks before shopping at Trader Joe's or Bennett's favorite store. Lately Bennett has become more and more interested in visiting with people as we pass by the coffee shop than he is in duck hunting. So today, we stopped in and I grabbed a drink, and as we headed over to the duck-filled waters, I asked Bennett if he would like to sit for a minute with all the other coffee and tea drinkers. He thought this was a brilliant idea (sit on a grown-up chair, say "hi" to the passers-by, and look for dogs and tiny birds-what almost two-year old could pass this up?). So we sat down for what I thought would be a couple of minutes, and those minutes turned into a half of an hour. It was so nice to just sit, chat, and look at the birds, dogs, and people with my little guy. I think it was our first real date, so I needed to write about it.

Here's a quick video of Bennett dancing while Bumpa plays his guitar.

Fall, My Butt!!!

2008-10-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

It it so stinkin hot. 99 degrees in Long Beach a couple of days ago, 96 today. I'm dying a slow, sweaty death during my favorite season. The scarves and hats are snug in their boxes, and my house is the temperature of that nice, cozy fire I wish I was sitting by.

I am melting here, people.

A Family First

2008-10-04T10:21:00.001-07:00

We went to Disneyland today! It was on a whim, actually. Rob recently filled in as AV director at the Disneyland Hotel, and free passes to the park was one of the perks :). It came at the perfect time, because this was an insanely busy work week for Rob. He and Bennett saw each other briefly on Sunday before Rob headed off to work, and then not again until B . and I visited the hotel on Wednesday. The hours were so long that Rob stayed at (his) Hilton two nights in a row. So, Friday kicked off our much needed long weekend, and Rob thought it would be fun to start with a trip to the happiest place on earth. He was right, we had so much fun!

In line for Bennett's first ride-he was beside himself.

The first ride: The Rockets

He loved it! Until...

it was time to get off. There were tears at the end of every ride.

Don't ask me why my eyes are crossed in this picture.

He had to ride the carousel, even though these are everywhere down here :)

Remember when you were little and you thought you were
actually driving?

We watched the band for awhile, they were excellent.

My best attempt at a self photo of the three of us. I think we look tired and a little stoned.

The park was decorated for the season. I love pumpkins, so it made me happy.

Getting sleepy. Just one quick parade before we go.

Bennett loves a parade!

We couldn't leave without a true family photo.

Highlights:
1. We went to Disneyland!
2. Decent weather (for Anaheim)
3. Bennett's huge smiles, "wow's!," and "woh's!"
4. Getting in for free (maybe I'm cheap, but it was pretty nice)
5. Discovering that B. is not at all afraid of heights-
you never know until you try
6. When he saw "the teacups" and shouted, "Tea!"
7. The moment each ride ended B. said "more"
8. Eating a churro-enough said.
9. Bennett laughing and singing the whole way home

Lowlights:
1. Traumatizing the little guy by putting him on Alice in Wonderland.
I think I was overly-excited, and forgot that this ride is loud,
dark, and scary-for this age-whoops. Poor baby was
saying "All done! All done!" Torture.
2. The melt-downs after each ride :)

Thanks for a great day, boys (and you too, Elodie)!

Elodie Grace Markley

2008-09-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

Kelly alluded briefly to the origin of her name, so I'll fill you all in on the whole story. I'm not sure if anybody knows this about us, but Kelly and I have a little hobby. That's right, we dabble a bit in the musical arts. Well, one such artist that we particularly enjoy is a bright young fellow by the name David Mead. As musicians are wont to do, Mr. Mead has written a song. In fact, he's written quite a few, but let's just focus on one song in particular.

Before we knew that Bennett was a HE, Kelly and I spent quite a few nights finding the perfect name for our child. For those of you out there without kids, let me tell you: this is no small feat. Not only do the mommy and daddy have to agree, but they are committing this child to that name for the REST OF THEIR LIFE. That's a long time!

I digress; among our girl names was Elodie. At the time I did not care for this name. Great song, cool musician, not my kid's name. As soon as we found Bennett, we fell in love with the name and stopped looking for boy names. This time around, Kelly tried to sneak Elodie back into the mix. This time, it floored me. When I heard the name again, I absolutely knew this would be our child's name. I was so sure, in fact, that I refused to consider boy's names. Even before our 20-week ultrasound, I was convinced we were having a girl and that her name was Elodie.

Follow this link for a short sample of the song (just give it a second, the song will play on it's own). Sorry I can't get you all a longer version, but if you find yourself near Long Beach, stop in and I'll play it for you.

O.k., Here's the Big News...

2008-09-17T17:37:00.003-07:00

But first, I have to start with a story.

A couple of months ago, I brought up a name that I had fallen in love with when I was pregnant with Bennett. Rob said, "I love it, that's her name, and we are having a girl." I was shocked for two reasons: 1. Rob totally dismissed this name a couple of years ago (to that he responded, "that's because we were having a boy; this time it's a girl." That brings me to my second point. When Rob is this sure about something, I have never known him (in 9 years!) to be wrong. So since then, the two of us have been sure that we are having a girl.

The last time I saw my doctor, she reminded me that ultrasound results (boy/girl) are not 100% correct. She told me that if it is a girl, they are more easily certain than they are for boys, because with boys the technicians can mistake shadows of the ambilical cord for his little part. So today, we went in for our big ultrasound. We asked the technician to write boy or girl down on a card for us. She said that she was at least 80% sure what the baby was, because of the shadows she saw; she said she it was pretty clear what "was there." So we left the building, card in hand (still had not looked at it), and we were shocked that, after being so convinced that it was a girl, we were probably having a boy . We went out to breakfast, and pulled out the card, only to be shocked again, to see the "It's a...." followed by a:

GIRL!!!

We are so thrilled!!! So, after all the build up about her name, here it is:

Elodie Grace Markley

Every time I said her name out loud today (which was a lot) Bennett would get a big smile on his face and say "El-lo-lee" with all his might. So cute! We told him that Elodie (pronounced L-O-D) is his baby sister's name, the baby he saw a picture of (ultrasound). He then would just stare at us, and try to play along that he thoroughly understood what the heck we were talking about. Even cuter.

We are so thankful for our little baby girl, and it is exciting to be able to pray for her now, knowing who she is-thanks, God! We can't wait to meet her!

If this is wrong, I don't want to be right.

2008-09-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

It has been recently brought to my attention that scooters may be, shall we say, less than manly. You know what, I'm okay with that. Please consider my rebuttal:

Come, Wednesday

2008-09-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday we find out (hopefully!) who this baby is. We have a name if she is a she; if he is a he, we still aren't sure. We are so excited to know, though, and we are hopeful that the baby cooperates. I have felt many movements, by the way; it feels like there is a little fish in there! I am actually really close to my fifth month here (it begins next week), we can hardly believe it. Bennett is so sweet, he will spontaneously walk over to me, lift my shirt a little, and give me tiny kisses on my belly. Then he just stares at it. I ask him, "is that for the baby?" "Ya," he says, and then smiles. He will be a great big brother.

By the way, we will share the name once we are sure about the gender. Prepare to have an open mind, because we haven't had the best reception for our girl pick. It's o.k., we love the name, and when this little one comes, family and friends will find her irresistible no matter what we call her :).

Check back on Wednesday for the good news. We could really use some good news right about now, it has been a pretty rough couple of weeks.

For Grammy

2008-09-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

Grammy (a.k.a. Bumpa) has requested some new pics. of the little guy. She misses him, and I can imagine why (I am with him 24/7, and I still miss him when he sleeps) . So, here you go Grammy: a Bennett fix.

We love the park

Daddy's (big) helper

Taking a break from all that hard work!

Oh, to be in Daddy's shoes

This seal (at the Long Beach Aquarium) and Bennett were
equally fascinated with each other

We also love foggy mornings at the beach

Drinking a smoothie in his favorite outfit (plus a diaper)

Here You Go, Ladies...

2008-08-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

...the belly pics.

I need to preface these pictures by saying that I have been going through a phase of feeling way less than beautiful, but I am going to ignore my self conscious state to focus on the baby progress (how big of me). I promise that I am not fishing for compliments, I think this is that funky in-between stage when pregnancy feels like chub. Nicole and Drea wanted to see some pictures, and friendship overrules vanity. Wink.

Not a great belly shot, but the roses are pretty!

So there you have it :). I am actually kind of amazed at how quickly I am popping out this time (I am 15 weeks and 1 day today). I am feeling great-no nausea, good energy level, and sleeping pretty well.

In other baby news...

We got our first baby gift! It's a double stroller, and we LOVE it! Rob put it together, and I drove it around the lawn picturing Bennett sitting next to his little bro/sis. So exciting! Thank you Grammy (aka Bumpa) and Bumpa so much for the wonderful gift!

Yes, Babe, I actually posted this picture

Copy Cat

2008-08-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

Bennett and I have been watching the Olympic "wrap-ups" in the morning on the Today show. He is really into Michael Phelps-he says "poo" (pool), "wa-wa" (water), and he is particularly taken with this expression:

When he first imitated M.P. out of context, I thought Bennett was being a bear or some other wild animal. I somehow put it together that it was actually an impression of the famous olympian. I have to admit, this video was not his best performance, but it's still fun to watch. He had just woken up from a nap, so it's a little dim. Enjoy!

They Finally Let Me Write One

2008-08-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

Bennett, here. I wanted to tell everyone about a super-fun weekend I had a few weeks back. It all started with a drive that I thought might never end -my parents called our destination Pleasanton. I wanted to say, "are we almost there yet?" the whole time we were driving, but I don't know how to say that. Anyway, little did I know that I would get to see my whole family and that is how it became super-fun. We went to a party that my Uncle-to-be-Tom threw for my Auntie K. and Uncle Kev. It was their birthday, and Uncle Tom also announced that he and Auntie K. are getting married! I think that is why my Mom and Noni (Dad's Mom) did so much giggling and looking at magazines about brides. I just liked the party because 1.My family was there 2.There were balloons and 3.I got to do a little dance show for everyone. Not to mention that Uncle Tom had a sweet practice kit that I was later able to advance my drumming skills on...
Auntie K. and Uncle Tom were really happy and everyone had a lot of fun at the party. I heard that I get to be the ring bearer at the wedding; I know what a ring is, and I know what a bear is, but I still don't know what that means.

Anyhow, the next day we went to Carmel Valley to visit my Bumpa, my other Bumpa (everyone tries to get me to call her Grammy, but I like saying Bumpa better), Auntie CoCo and Mombo. It was quick, but we had a really good time. My favorite part was when they all sang my favorite song "She Loves You." You had to be there.

Thanks for reading!

By the way, check out the countdown to when my new baby brother or sister is coming-it's on the right side of the page. Also, my Mom is awesome.

Here's my Auntie K, Grampa, and Noni

Auntie K and Uncle Tom

Uncle Kev and Auntie Coco

Balloons are fun (look closely, I think Uncle Kev fell asleep)

Here is that little dance I mentioned; too bad I don't know how to work the video
on this thing...it was some of my better moves.

That's my dad and my Auntie K - precious

That's my Bumpa (on the left) and my other Bumpa (on the right)

This is me chillin, reading the funnies on my Bumpa and my other Bumpa's couch.

Woo-Hoo!

2008-08-14T18:59:00.001-07:00

I would like to announce that today is the beginning of the 14th week of my pregnancy!! This is significant because it is day one of the second trimester-yay! I have been awaiting this day for, well, 13 weeks now. If anyone is curious, I am technically not showing, thought I have gained a few pounds and look a little, eh-em, fuller than usual :)

I should scan the 12 week ultrasound picture, but I am too lazy to get the printer out and hook it up-maybe next time. Anyway, just thought I would share my exciting progress!

Hello Cleveland!!

2008-08-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

Some people choose greatness; they toil away their entire lives for it. Others have greatness thrust upon them. Enter Bennett, or as he's known to his fans: El Guapito! Think of him as one half Lucha Libre, one half Stryper, and one half pure awesome. El Guapito (or Guappy, as we call him) was born with a mission: to rock your face off. Other men, lesser men, would crumble under the pressure: the hordes of adoring fans, the constant barrage of the paperazzi, being in a new city every night, never knowing what day it is or what city you're in. G-Diddy stares fame in the eyes and laughs.

For those of you who haven't been formal introduce, I present to you: El Guapito!!!

I've been tagged...

2008-07-30T18:16:00.000-07:00

The ABC's of Me

A. Attached or single? Attached to the best husband in zee world.

B. Best friend? Rob.

C. Cake or Pie? Cake. My mom's pumpkin chocolate chip, Cake Man Raven's red velvet, almost any homemade cake with chocolate involved

D. Day of choice? Saturday, um-hm. With my boys

E. Essential items? Bible, water (I'm always thirsty), toothbrush, music

F. Favorite color(s)? olive green and purple

G. Gummy bears or worms? bears

H. Hometown? Carmel Valley, California

I. Favorite indulgence? Sleeping in

J. January or July? January

K. Kids? One spunky, sweet little Bennett, and one on the way :)

L. Life isn't complete without? Jesus

M. Marriage date? April 17, 2004

N. Number of brothers and sisters? 1 older sister, 1 younger sister; but I also consider my cousin Jocelyn my sister (she is 7 mo.'s older than me)

O. Oranges or apples? Apples(gala/fuji) but oranges when I'm pregnant. This was Drea's answer, and it's the same for me!

P. Phobias? Something happening to my family (more of a fear, really)

Q. Quotes- Shakespeare sonnet 116 "...Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove: O no! it is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken..."

R. Reasons to smile? Time alone with Rob, all things Bennett, a good conversation with a friend, being with family, fresh flowers.

S. Season of choice? FALL!

T. Tag 5 people: Nope.

U. Unknown fact about me? I was kind of a bully (to boys) when I was little

V. Vacation of choice? Back to France and Ireland

W. Worst habit? Being lazy

X. X-ray or ultrasound? Ultrasound I guess-that's a wierd question

Y. Your favorite food? Mexican and Middle Eastern

Z. Zodiac sign? Taurus

Have You Heard of This?

2008-07-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Slydial.

This info. is directly from their web site:
What is it?
It's a voice message service that connects you directly to someone's voice mail.
Why?
Because you are short on time, want to avoid an awkward conversation, or you don't want to bother someone.

Does anyone else think this is completely lame? I get that we live in a technologically savvy society these days -hey, we have a blog- but come on! This seems so phony -pardon the pun-to me. Basically, you use this service if you want to look like you care, but let's be honest, you don't actually have the time for this person.

I am not a fan.

My Boys

2008-07-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

I took some snap shots of Rob and Bennett the other day that give a little glimpse of their relationship. Bennett is a generally happy guy, but when Daddy comes home (or is off for the weekend), Bennett's good mood reaches a whole new level. On Saturdays, Rob usually gets up with him in the morning, allowing me a little more sleep; I always hear tons of giggles coming from the other side of the bedroom door.

This week Rob has been in Chicago...man do we miss him! Bennett seemed to understand that Rob was away; it helped that we dropped him off at the airport. This is the conversation we have had over and over:

Bennett: "Dad-dee?"
Me: "Daddy went on a trip."
Bennett: "Eh-pway?"
Me: "That's right, he went on the airplane."
Bennett: (doing the sign for airplane) "Ya."
Bennett: "Ah-wu-woo!!!"
Me: "Daddy loves you too, Buddy."

I gotta love my boys.

Thank you for the congratulations on baby number 2! I am in my 10th week, and my tentative (long story) due date is February 19th, Michaela B.'s birthday. I am feeling strangely well, just a little tired and a little fat (yep, already). We will be sure to give updates on the little one as we have them. We are really excited to meet our fourth family member, and to see Bennett as a big brother. They will be 2 years and 3 months apart-perfect!

2008-07-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

Doyle Springs

2008-07-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

This past week we went up to the Thomases cabin in the sierras; just north of the little town Springville, this place is beautiful. We had an incredibly relaxing and enjoyable vacation with our friends. It was wonderful to get away, spend some time outside, and just hang out with great friends. There were 8 of us: 4 adults, and 4 adorable little boys. We played, swam, slept, hiked, ate, talked, and laughed. We really needed a vacation, and our families have so much fun together! Thank you to Jake and Stace for sharing their very special place with us. Here are some memories:

Saving my office, one computer at a time!

2008-07-02T17:49:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce the most vital member of my office team: Pandora. If I had to sum up Pandora in one word it would be: scrumtralecent. If I had to sum up Pandora in 4 words they would be: selflessly devoted to me. There is no one in our office who would go to the lengths that Pandora does to assure that I have a stress-free work environment. Pandora reaches to the ends of the Earth, finding fresh new music for me. Never, ever does Pandora grow weary; never, ever does Pandora complain; never, ever does Pandora stop.

********NERD ALERT NERD ALERT NERD ALERT********
********What your about to read has been known to ********
********contain high amounts of nerdiness********

Okay, so what's Pandora and why is it so great? Well, my friends, I'm about to drop some serious knowledge on all y'all. Pandora is internet radio based on the Music Genome Project. Like most other internet radio stations and programs like iTunes, Pandora is a suggestive system. You tell it an artist or song you like and it will play music it believes you will like. How it arrives at these decisions is what makes Pandora stand head and shoulders above the rest.

iTunes, Yahoo Radio, Amazon, and the rest all make suggestions based on what other listeners listen to/bought. Say you preordered Hannah Montana's new album and a reissue of the original NKOTB album, these programs will suggest Hannah (that's right, we're on a first name basis,) to someone who buys NKOTB.

Pandora is quite different. Rather than comparing trends, Pandora relies on the Music Genome Project. In short, this project is an attempt to distill the essence of music. Not in some new-aged essence of a rainbow way. The Project has defined over 400 musical attributes (tonality, rhythmic pulse, instrumentation) and created an intense mathematical algorithm to organize them all. It will make obvious connections, say the Cardigans, No Doubt, and Lily Allen. How about Club 8? Who? Coldplay? What (okay, maybe Mr. Martin does sound a wee bit like a girl at time)? Not only does the algorithm take into account musical characteristics, it will also discern lyrical content.

How are these attributes discerned, you ask. Great question. At this time, Pandora employs listeners to classify music. They will generally give each new song 20-30 minutes and create a laundry list of characteristics with which to categorize the music. The next step, however, is to create a software system that will analyze digital music and create these lists themselves. Efforts to this end are based largely on the MP3 codec (I could wax on for days on this topic, I'll spare you my ultra-nerd diatribe), which uses programs to determine what parts of a music file you can live without.

The main problem with comparative systems is: they cannot find you anything new. If no one who bought the Tom Waits also bought Serge Gainsbourg, you'd have no idea that they're related. Pandora picks music based on music.

Well, thanks for staying with me. I'll make the next one more enjoyable for the non-nerds out there. Here's a little something for your effort: Odontophobia is the fear of teeth.

A Little Something

2008-07-01T20:41:00.001-07:00

Hi friends and family. I have been lagging on the blog front because it seems like every entry that I write is exactly the same lately. A little blurb followed by 10,000 pictures of Bennett. I can't help it, I just think he is so cute, and well, I don't have anything interesting to say :). So, I guess that was my blurb, and the pictures will follow. I promise to come up with something more inspired soon...or someday! These pics. were taken a few Saturdays ago when we went downtown to check out an art festival, and then went out for a special dinner.

There was a little jazz trio playing, so we enjoyed the music
for a bit; Bennett had a special connection with the drummer.

There was a great community garden in the middle of downtown: beautiful!

We ended our weekend with a lovely dinner. The restaurant was
a bit much for a nineteen month old; he did well until he had to...well...

Self photo:

"Cheers!"

Free Entertainment

2008-06-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

We laugh a lot around here.
Often, the source is a little man that stands less
than three feet tall. Here are some samples of
his comedy act:

Here he is, loving on his lady-friend, Olivia:

This is how he won her over:

I hope you enjoyed the little show!

"No Mama; Bubba."

2008-06-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

This was Bennett's first phrase. On May 27th, he turned 18 months, and this has proved to be a time of many milestones. New words are spilling out daily that-we are guessing-have been swirling around in his mind for awhile now. Yesterday, while eating our breakfast, I took Bennett's spoon to my mouth to blow on his oatmeal to cool it. Looking very displeased, he said, "no Mama; Bubba." He thought I was going to eat his food, and he let me know that it was his (he calls himself Bubba) and not mine to eat. Rob and I were so excited that he communicated this thought/opinion! Anyway, just thought I would share the latest.

Off to a Good Start!!

2008-05-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

We all know that babies love to sing. Bennett has been rocking the 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' since before he could sit up. He's got that one down, he loves 'Rise and Shine (and Give God the Glory).' As his father, I feel it is my duty to make sure this kid grows up knowing right from wrong, good from evil. I would be completely remiss if I didn't do everything in my power to teach my son the glorious power of music.

Where does one start on this epic journey. Do I sit him down in front of the hi-fi and turn on Miles Davis? That might be akin to tossing him into the deep end of the pool with just his swimmies. As we all did, the Bubba needs to learn to walk before he can run.

Bennett's ~~indoctrination~~ education began early; his good friend Karrah gave the Bubba is first album, Bedtime with the Beatles. The Beatles are, of course, the basis for all things good in modern music. So where do you go from instrumental, mellow covers of Beatles songs? To the source, of course.

Bennett can now sing the entirety of the White Album with a perfect Liverpool accent. Well... his accent may need to be tweaked a bit, but the lyrics are all there... you gotta believe me!! Okay, he may be a bit far from the multi-layered complexities of 'Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and my Monkey'. What he can sing, however, is the infamous refrain to 'She Loves You.' That's right, he can sing "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah" with perfect intonation and pretty tight rhythm. What's more, he recognizes the tune (without words) and joins in at the right place. If he wasn't born of my flesh, I would say he's a genius. You know what, I'll say it. The man's a musical genius.

If that isn't enough to bestill every man out there in fatherland, I offer you the latest in Bennett's musical conquests: Phantom Planet. For those of you out there who don't know this group and go to look them up, please forgive the fact that they wrote the theme song for the OC. They're a great band, really. And much to the same end as 'She Loves You,' the first single off their new album was torn to shreds by my tiny rocker. That's right, Bennett has added Phantom Planet's 'Do the Panic' to his ever-expanding repertoire. Granted, Bennett's favorite line is Do-Do-Do, Do-Do-Sha-Doobie-Do, but you gotta give the kid credit for his gusto.

Bennett will be holding auditions to fill out the rest of his band, all interested parties should inquire within.

Snoopy

2008-05-21T21:17:00.001-07:00

Hi All,
This picture was taken back in November when Bennett was not quite a year. He still makes this expression often, and we call it his Snoopy smile. This post was inspired by our friends the Stewarts. They posted a picture of their adorable little Ava making the same expression, and I just had to laugh. I think it is pretty sweet that though they are (approximately) 1500 miles and 12 months apart, our babies not only reach the same milestones, but they do things alike down to this funny little detail.

Thanks for the picture, Mandy and Eli; I can't wait for these two to meet!

And by the way, here is why we call it the Snoopy smile:

Finally Gonna Finish It

2008-05-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

I started this book 2 years ago when we were still in New York. After finding out we were pregnant, I set it down and replaced it with four thousand pre-baby books. So Rob picked it up, and informed me that I should wait to read it after the morning sickness passed (apparently it gets a little gross).

So here I am, 2 years and one baby later...I am determined to finish it. It has an incredibly slow start, but come on, the cover shows a man and a tiger sharing a boat, it's bound to pick up.

I thought maybe blogging about it would compel me to get to the end. I am a super slow reader, because reading makes me want to fall asleep-this may explain my grades in school :).

Wish me luck!

Can anyone recommend something for my next reading conquest?

The Best Day

2008-05-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

This was the best Mother's Day!

I woke up to a rose right before my eyes with the cutest little boy standing behind it, smiling and waving at me. Rob was behind him holding a tray of breakfast-my favorite-eggs benedict, w/fruit on the side. The three of us ate in bed together. I don't know if I have ever actually done that, it seems impractical :). Turns out, sitting in bed and enjoying fruit and tea with my boys is pretty great. It was particularly entertaining because Bennett thought this was a very silly idea. He laughed and said "mmm" while rubbing his belly with every bite. I want to add that Rob even played Ella Fitzgerald-my favorite-while we ate. He's the best!

Next, we went for a walk on the beach-my other favorite. Bennett fell on his face, and was a sandy mess for his nap, but he didn't mind.

In the afternoon, we visited the Japanese Gardens at CSLB. They have gigantic koi fish you can feed, and the grounds are beautiful. Maybe the pictures will persuade one or more readers to come for a visit? A girl can only hope :)...

For once, Bennett did not try to climb into the water-I think the fish intimidated him.

We met up with the Randalls later on for dinner. Bennett was far too interested in his cousins to actually eat anything!

Last year, we had a really sweet day also, but since Bennett was a 6 mo. old who didn't sleep well, I don't remember it! Today I spent the whole day looking at him and thinking about how grateful I am for him-he is becoming such a loving, funny, sweet little guy. I know it's called mother's day, but it is our day, really. And Rob made it so wonderful.

Thank you SO much to my boys for a perfect day. I felt loved and appreciated!!

The Latest Haircut

2008-05-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

This was a little bit ago, but I wanted to share before and after shots of Bennett going from scruffy to clean-cut. I know I am biased, but I love how he looks right after a hair cut.He is great in the hair chair, by the way!

Here are the before shots-he was pretty scruffy :) !

Tah-dah! I think he likes it.

Birthday Wishes...

2008-05-04T17:27:00.000-07:00

...to my big sister! We got to have breakfast together this morning with Colleen who was down for the weekend. Hope you have a great one!

PS-I shall not reveal her age ;)

Love,
Kelly

Girls Weekend

2008-05-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

Once again, I am late in posting this, but better late than never, as they say.

The weekend of April 5th, Grammy (my mom) and Auntie Co-Co (my little sis) came to town. On Saturday, "just us girls" went down south to the bridal shower of a good family friend. I don't remember the last time my Mom, Tara (my big sis), Colleen, and I had a girls day -or a girl's hour for that matter- so it was really special.

Bennett, of course, loved his time with Grammy, his Aunties, and cousins on Sunday. My only regret that we did not take a photo of the four of us. :(. Next time.

Here are some memories:

My lovely sisters

The cousins at The Rainforest Cafe

Bubba and Me

Grammy took Bennet on his first carousel ride.
He liked it, but was still a little over-stimulated from the Rainforest Cafe!

We're In!

2008-05-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
After a week and a half of being disconnected with the world -in other words, we had no internet-I am finally here to share pictures of our new home. The move has been a little rough; it is tricky to get things accomplished with a toddler around :).

We love our little house, though! Bennett is already enjoying the yard, and I can't wait to plant tomatoes and herbs.

This is the 7th move Rob and I have made together in our 4 years of marriage. We should just make a career out of it somehow.

Enjoy the pics!
Love,
Kelly

Bennett enjoys exploring the tiny closets!

This one was taken today. Can you see the scratch on his nose? He is quickly learning that falling on concrete is no fun!

Markleyville, est. 2004

2008-04-17T21:33:00.001-07:00

That's right, just four short years ago, Markleyville was officially founded. Not in the blogosphere, mind you, but in flesh and blood. On this day, Wifey and I pledged to honor and serve one another until the fullness of our days. We've had quite the adventure ever since. Tonight we celebrated with movie night; tomorrow night Gunka Ka (Uncle Kevin) will watch the little one so that we can actually be out at night. All of this is in the midst of us moving to a new house. We'll post pictures soon. Thanks to everyone who has given us their support and love over the last four years!

Bactracking again...Easter weekend

2008-04-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

Hi friends and family,
I am finally putting up pictures of our Easter weekend with the Markleys. Gary, Nancy, Tom, and Kate came down, and we had a great time! We enjoyed the sunny weather, a little Long Beach beauty, and a lot of time hanging out with Bennett. The group went to a church service on Sat. night that Kevin played music at, and Sunday the Randalls (my sis.) joined us for brunch at our house.

I wish I had more pictures, but you know how it goes, we pretty much just focus on the little guy.
Enjoy!
~Kelly

Bennett enjoying the view at the marina

Playing around with grandpa

Holding my Auntie K

Cruising around the pier with Daddy & Gramps

Anybody Out There?

2008-04-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

I know we have friends, I know when are loved, but come on people, let us know :)!

The comments section of the blog is a little sad lately. I can relate to Kathleen when she said: "I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You've got comments (mail)."

Rob urged me not to write this, arguing that he does not want pity comments, but me...I'll take them.

We changed the setting so that you do not need to have a blog in order to comment (Mom: are you reading?).

I just wanted to send this cosmic idea out into the void. So good night, dear void. ...

We love you all!
~Kelly